The 06 PA 80 is the grandfather of the Kode 80 so to say. So if you want something similar the Kode is for sure the right board. I don't think you will feel the Kode 80 tracks better. The 06 PA80 was in fact know for its tracking. If anything, I think the Kode 80 is looser, particularly in smaller slower waves. So its a better and more fun wave board in your "real world" wave but still retains its amazing composure in bigger waves.

Regarding the tracking, I think this is something you can tune with the fin very well on htis type of board. Changing the original Drake Natural (an amazing wave fin) for simething stiffer will give you a board that I think you will agree tracks better than the PA80 with its standard fin.

Mark
I haven't used that particular model (I use kombat86 + acid74 for my high wind sailing) but there's been a lot of Forum talk about it a few years ago. I can't find the threads right now, but I remember how Ian Fox commented on 2006 acid80, in his opinion that was the best bump/jump board of all acid models (including several years before and after 2006). Something to do with rockerline and especially rail shape. So if it's not falling apart......

I remember those posts Screamer as one or two were initiated by me. My thoughts were to keep it but I try and change kit regularly as it soon depreciates in value.

I've only been offered £300.00 trade in.

Interestingly the Kode 10 is the same as 09 so Starboard must feel like they have a near perfect shape rather than tweaking for tweaking's sake. My PA is slightly longer at 243 - the Kode being 234 I think? Width is the same...

Well, its already not that muh of a deal trading it in. Not much more to loose. Any new board will loose more than than what the PA80 is worth (economically) by just taking it out of the bubble wrap. So I'm with Screamer. The Kode is a nice board (and like you say, the compactness is very nice). But for what you're using it for the PA80 is already great. Use it some more and put some money in the bank for when it finally goes.

Definitely keep the PA80-06. For B/J and high wind offshore cruising with smaller sails I think it is one of the best I've ever ridden. I liked the ride so much I bought two of them in 2006. It also carries bigger sails better than the boards that followed it. I have no problem at 83 kg having a great time with a powerful 5.8 in 15-17 knots and then dropping down as small as a 4.5 when it is 30+. It isn't as good on a wave as the later iterations of the PA or Kode, but for a smooth ride in rough conditions it is the ticket.

I wanted to expand a bit on this "upgrading bump/jump board" theme. I have an impression that b/j performance is somehow a "by-product" of certain wave boards development, the boards never seem to get designed especially for this purpose (maybe some smaller makers in places like Gorge or Tarifa). Yes I know that some boards such as Acid, DaCurve or Angulo Chango got thumbs-up for their b/j performance, but it always seems an afterthought, something that happened almost accidentaly (and VARIES a lot year by year!). I believe that there are more sailors around the world using their trad/narrow/control/call-them-what-you-want waveboards in high wind chopfest conditions, then there are sailors using those boards in cross-offshore dtl conditions. Yet all the development/attention/marketing is directed to the later, although many of these boards will spend their life with not a breaking wave in sight. Surely marketing and/or image is very important here I guess. I may add that many competent sailors commented how some OLDER designs (such as F2 Maui Project or above mentioned PA80 '06) performed way better in gnarly conditions than most of newer ones. I'm talking about pure b/j performance of course, not waveriding.

So why this rant? I don't have any opportunities to try many boards where I live, so I'm curious. I know some mfg's make them such as Roberts USA, but I wonder how would the perfect bump/jump board look like if some major players (such as ummmm ........ *board ;-))) gave it some effort? There is a market for sure (masses of inland-bound, howling winds, messy brown chop, river/lake sailors like myself - plus many coastal sailors with no dtl perfection).

Thanks for this interesting discussion. My weight is 80 kgs. Medium advanced oldskool wavesurfer. Surf in the Northsea (NL). I have a similar issue. I sail the PA 06 80 ltrs with 4.5 - 5.0. And a Kode 68 from 3.5 -4.5 But I would like to change my reach. I thought of 74 liters board and a 86 liters. Since the PA is really the board that gives me the feeling of total control at all times I hope to find that with an 86 board as well as the 74. The Kode 68 is too small for me. One more thing about my previous experiences: I do not like the Starboard EVO feeling at all.

What can you tell me about the 86 PA 2008 feeling vs Kode 86 or Quad 81 (or Quad 86). And likewise about the 74 liters. What should I buy? Change my Kode 68 for a Kode 74 or a Quad?

In that mode the PA80-06 remains a very strong benchmark (and a keeper in my 95kg quiver).
For heavier riders, the rocker of the Kode80 doesn't seem to work quite so well - and the Kode80 seems that little bit more hi wind focussed...(perfect for mid weight, but cribs that little bit of mid range down for the heavier guys..)

The one that I have been having a real blast on lately has been the QUAD86 (very surprising for me as I had expected it to be solidly a pure wave riding tool and relatively slow - and I'm the last guy on our crew wanting a slow ride - no matter what!!).

In fact, it has very good bottom end/early planing (for size/dedicated wave board), very easy and balanced to sail in sub planing mode- and remarkably easy to grind upwind sub planing too. But who cares on that compared to the real stuff? Well it's slightly vulnerable on "mid range speed"(not so easy to ride up early in the range onto fin as good single) but then quite OK competitive in rough (chopfest) top end despite all those fins. (the full stats: actual deep downwind can be slightly outpaced, beam reach it's good very defensible speed in well powered mode against even freerides and pinching upwind it can actually take distance out of all but the best of them)

And bashing chop the rough water control is simply another league ; yes, I agree, its not what QUAD was EVOlved FOUR - but it sure as hell works a treat when abused that way too ! Underfoot the ride is not harsh or slappy - and with loads of grip the rider is free to concentrate a lot of weight on the back without the need for as much single fin subtlety as normal. That's to say you can go sick and get away with more.

QUAD is effectively allowing us to ride a board "one size" up from what we would otherwise use in same conditions, which in turn has the subtle but real effect of allowing slightly larger rigs to be carried even more into overpower range- effectively increasing the sailable range of the board/rig. BS? If you haven't done it yourself, maybe- but once you've experienced it the benefit is there.

Yes, a Kode86 can fit that slot too - and will do it with even more speed and efficiency (mid range speed on Kode is definitely a + point) but as the water state gets uglier and the actually (achievable) speeds slower, control is king. And if you want to play more in these conditions rather than just try to blow off every guy in sight, well might be time to think "slow". Because it ain't really...

If iSonic is the F1 car, Futura might be the GT-R. But QUAD is for sure the WRX.
And I know which one is more fun in the forest.